Electric controlling device for railway-trains.



E- ,L. SHARPNECK & C. F. ATHERTON.

ELECTRQC CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY TRAINS.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 30, 1913- Patented May 16, 1916.

J v@777907 am ZMM lawa 0 4 lo the accompanying drawings, forming part inclusive and c to c inclusive terminating 55 the stopping of certain of said trains. nal T for instance, the magnet of relay r 70 said trains may be stopped. troduced to close the circuit between said 75 Other objects of the invention will appear will continue after the circuit has been so lUhllTlED BTATEB PATENT ELIEL L. SHABPNECK, 0F WIN'IHROP, AND CLAUDE F. ATI-IERTON, 015 BOSTON, MASSA- CHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY-TRAINS.

1 1 3 10 Specification of Letters Patent. Patemfigdl lw 16 191 Application filed January 30, 1913. Serial No. 745,140.

To all whom, it may concern: the relays R, R R R and R with said Be it known that we, ELIEL L. SHARPNEGK main M, while said terminal conductors t, and CLAUDE F. ATI-IERTON, respectively of t t :5 and t are connected through the Winthrop and Boston, in the county of magnets 1", r r r 1' by the conductors 1/525,

5 Sulfolk and State of Massachusetts, have int6", and 2% with said main M. EX- o vented certain new and useful Improve tending from the main M are the conductors ments in Electric Controlling Devices for m, m m m and m and from the conduc- Railway-Trains, of which the following is tors 2,, t 25 25 and 2& extend the conductors a specification, reference being had to c, 0 c 0 and 0 These conductorsmto m th f, at the open terminals of the relay magnets This invention has reference to improve- 9 to r inclusive.

ments in electric devices for controlling the When now the circuit is closed between movements of trains on a railway to effect one of the rails 10 and the third rail termi- The object of the invention is to so conwill be energized to eflect the closing of the struct electric devices for controlling the circuit between the terminals of conductors steam supply and the air brakes of trains m and 0 whereby if electrical apparatus that, under certain. contingencies, certain of having comparatively a low resistance is in- Another object of the invention is to prorail 10 and third rail terminal T said appavide a new and useful block system of elecratus will receive electric current from said trio circuits through which mechanism carcircuit and, presumably, will be actuated ried by a train may be actuated. and such closed condition of the main circuit from the following description. opened between rail 10 and third rail termi- The invention consists in the novel arnal T If, now, the circuit closer moves rangement of the electric circuits and their along said rails 10, 10 until it contacts with terminals, third rail terminal T a similar operation of The invention also consists in such other the closing of the circuit between the conas novel features of construction and combinaductors m and 0 will be effected by the en tion of parts as shall hereinafter'be more ergizing of the magnet of relay r and, sifully described and pointed out in the multaneously the electric circuit will he laims, completed through the iconductor to the Figure 1, represents a diagrammatic view magnet of relay R whereby the armature 9c of the improved electric controlling system of said relay will be actuated to open the as applied to a railway and an engine opcircuit between conductors c and m whereerating on said railway. Fig. 2, represents by third rail terminal T is cut out from a plan view of a railway and the block sys electrical connection with battery B It 40 tom of electric circuits more particularly will then be seen that when the circuit is relating to said railway. closed between the rails 10 and any one of Similar reference characters designate the thlrd rail terminals the third rail tercorresponding parts throughout. 7 mlnal next back of said closed terminal is As shown in the drawings in its preferred connected with its related battery and is in form 10,10 indicate rails forming the groundcondition to transmit electrical energy from ed terminal of an electric circuit which its said battery to a suitable electrical mech ground terminal is connected at suitable inanism introduced, as a circuit closing device tervals, representing block divisions of said between a rail 10 and such energized terrails, by branch electric conductors 1), b b m nal. At the same t1me however, the third 6 and 5 through local batteries B, B B rail termmal back of said energized termi- B and B with the main circuit M. Third nal is always dead or unenergized. rail terminals T, T T T and T are also Provision is made to effect the closing of located at suitable intervals along said railthe electric circuit between the rails 10, 10 way and are connected by the electric conand the third rail terminals in succession 55 ductors t, t t t i through the magnets of during the movement of a tram along said rails 10, 10 and such means may be carried on any part of the train but, preferably, are carried on or appertain to the engine and comprise the wheels as 11, operating on said tracks 10, 10 and the electrical contact shoe 12 slidably mounted in the guide 13 which depends from some portion of the engine cab 14 or of its truck 15. The wheels 11, 11 and the contact shoe 12 of course being electrically connected as I shall now proceed to describe.

The contact shoe 12 is connected by the electric conductor S, through the magnet U with axle of wheels as 11 and thence to rails 10 whereby when shoe 12 is brought into electrical contact with one of the terminals T the coils of magnet U of less resistance than magnets 1", r r 1" and 9 will be energized by electrical current from one of the related batteries B, to attract armature V of said magnet U to a position to close the normally open terminals as, 1 of the electrical circuit XY which circuit includes the battery Z.

As has been stated above, if a train provided with this controlling mechanism travels along the rails 10, 10 the contact shoe 12 will contact with the several third rail terminals T, T, in succession and will complete the circuits as above described. Armature V will, however, not be closed on the terminals 01, y, owing to the fact that the magnets 1 7", are of greater electrical resistance than the magnet U, but the magnet of relay R next back of said connected third rail terminal will be energized to effect the closing of its armature against the terminals of its conductors c and m whereby the circuit is connected around the related magnet r. If, while said circuit is thus connected, another following train completes the circuit with the third rail terminal appertaining thereto the electric current will have a free course around the particular magnet 1" and the magnet U of the train circuit will be energized to attract its armature V and thus close the circuit XY.

Having thus described our invention we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent.

1. An electric controlling means of the nature described, comprising a railway, a continuous main conductor, batteries connected at intervals with said railway and with said continuous conductor, a series of contact terminals spaced along said railway, a normally open connection between each contact terminal and the continuous conductor, and electromagnetic means connected with each contact terminal for closing the normally open connection of the preceding contact terminal.

2. An electric controlling means of the nature described comprising a railway, a series of contact terminals spaced along said railway electric circuits arranged in blocks along said railway and electrically connected with said railway, each of said block circuits including a circuit closer of comparatively high resistance and a direct circuit having open terminals adapted to be closed thereby, and a circuit closer traveling on said railway and having an electric circuit including a relay magnet of comparatively low resistance, and a working electric circuit having open terminals adapted to be closed by the operation of said relay.

3. An electric controlling means of the nature described comprising a railway, a series of terminals spaced along said railway, a series of electric circuits arranged in blocks and connected respectively with said railway and said terminals, each of said cir cuits including circuit opening and circuit closing relays of comparatively high resistance, a circuit closer actuated thereby, and a direct circuit having normally open terminals adapted to be closed by said closer, a circuit closer traveling on said railway and having a circuit closing relay of comparatively low resistance, and a working electric circuit having normally open terminals adapted to be closed by the operation of said latter circuit closing relay.

ELIEL L. SHARPNEOK. CLAUDE F. ATHERTON.

lVitnesses HENRY J. MILLER, ESTHER C. MURPHY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. v 

